Mitsubishi Motors Enters 2024 AXCR With an Upgraded Triton Pickup Truck
There’s nothing like a rally car race to get the blood pumping and testing the real performance of an automobile. There are plenty of rally races out there that are all about speed and corner turning, but when it comes to road handling bumpy terrain and rough driving conditions, that’s where some automakers really shine. In America, we have races like the Rebelle Rally, but overseas, the ASEAN region has the Asia Cross Country Rally (hereafter, AXCR). For the last three years, Mitsubishi Motors has entered the race with Team Mitsubishi Ralliart and landed in the winner’s circle. This year, it enters once again for another chance at winning the gold medal.
What is the AXCR? The ASEAN region’s largest cross-country rally, the race takes drivers off-road to navigate some of the most grueling road handling possible. Going on for 29 years in 2024, the AXCR covers terrain from Thailand into Malaysia, consisting of over 1250 miles. To really test what a car can handle, 600 miles of this race takes vehicles through mountain ranges, jungles, and across river crossings. If an automaker doesn’t have a vehicle able to handle this kind of driving, they are better off sitting this one out.
Mitsubishi Motors has a short history of racing in the AXCR since 2021, but has also shown strong results. In its first race, Team Mitsubishi Ralliart took home first place with the Triton pickup truck. The last two years didn’t go as well, landing in third place, but nevertheless, the winner’s circle. This year (2024), Mitsubishi is making some changes to the Triton to give them the edge and another chance at being the winner of the AXCR. The Triton has demonstrated a high level of durability, maneuverability, and road handling of rough roads in the past, and the automaker has taken all that experience to make an even better off-road rally car.
This year, the Triton Team Mitsubishi Ralliart will be driving comes with high-displacement engine to handle the high-speed stages of the race. For tackling the rocky and rough terrain, a new racing transmission with a high torque capacity and an increased tire tread size has been equipped to improve the truck’s durability and maneuverability. Also installed for handling bumpy rods, the rear suspension has been switched from rigid/leaf springs to rigid/4-link coil springs to absorb major shocks and improve traction when things get a little more hectic. To make sure these new enhancements have what it takes, Team Mitsubishi Ralliart conducted high-stress endurance tests on the Triton, covering about 500 miles over the course of seven days to make sure it’s rally race-ready.
The 2024 AXCR has been scheduled to take place from August 11 to 17, 2024. It all begins with a starting ceremony in Surat Thani, on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand. The official race launches the following day on the 12th and concludes on the 15th at the capital, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Because the AXCR officially ends on the 17th, we expect the awards ceremony to take place then, as well as let any other slow pokes finally cross the finish line.
Want to follow along with the 2024 AXCR and find out how well the newly enhanced Triton handles the rocky terrain? Join us on University Mitsubishi social media to learn more.
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